"Lansing -- If the state House and Senate don't pass Race to the Top school reform bills by midnight tonight, it's not going to happen until at least Dec. 31, the Senate has decided.
After a nearly 12-hour legislative session Friday, the Senate recessed until 10 a.m. this morning, saying once the gavel ends tonight's session they won't convene again until Dec. 31.
It's a move that pushes lawmakers to seal the deal on landmark legislation by the end of today -- or put the state at significant risk of missing a Jan. 19 deadline to apply for the first phase of federal Race to the Top funding that could total $400 million or more for the state.
Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, said Republicans have had enough nit-picking over drafts of the bills the House and Senate agreed on early Friday."